*Since there is the possibility that a meeting could be canceled, relocated or rescheduled please call the KIPDA office at (502) 266-6084 to confirm a meeting prior to attending.

Kentuckiana Regional Planning and Development Agency will make every reasonable accommodation to assist qualified disabled persons in accessing available services or in attending agency activities. If there is a need for KIPDA to be aware of a specific accommodation, you are encouraged to contact this agency at least one week in advance of the meeting so that suitable arrangements can be considered for the delivery of the service or attendance requirement prior to the activity.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Public Administration Division

Department for Local Government SPGE Training
March 29, 2016

The Department of Local Government (DLG) will be conducting a financial disclosure trainings for Special Purpose Governmental Entities (SPGE) on:

Tuesday, March 29, 2016 at 2:00pm and will be hosted by KIPDA, in the Burke Room.

This training should consist of financial disclosure responsibilities, on-line portal registration, and other SPGE requirements. The meeting will last 2 hours. Refreshments will be served.

Please R.S.V.P. by March 25, 2016, in order to secure a spot for this training.

You may contact Eric Dennison at eric.dennison@ky.gov or 502-266-6084 ext. 104 for more information.

* the Kentucky Fire Commission is working with DLG and they will be hosting specific Fire Department training in all 16 fire regions across the state. Your small or struggling fire departments are highly encouraged to also attend both trainings. The fire commission will notify the fire departments of the dates when will we be in their area. If you have any follow up questions please contact by email or by phone.

KMCA Annual Spring Conference
March 17-19

The Kentucky Magistrates and Commissioners Association is conducting its annual Spring Conference March 17-19, 2016 in Louisville, KY at the Galt House.

FRANKFORT, KY— The Energy and Environment Cabinet is accepting grant proposals for projects that promote the use of recycled waste tires for landscaping. Grant funds may be used to purchase crumb rubber mulch for landscaping projects.

Grant funding comes from the Waste Tire Trust Fund, an endowment established in 1998 by the Kentucky General Assembly to receive fees collected from new tire sales. The applicant will provide match-funding equal to at least 25 percent of the project cost.

To a limited degree, the cabinet will also consider funding research and development proposals for experimental practices or technologies that further the statutory purposes of the waste tire program—to protect human health, safety and the environment—or that will help develop a market for Kentucky waste tires.

Applications must be received by 4:30 p.m. on March 28 at the Division of Waste Management’s central office in Frankfort. The application and any supporting documentation must be submitted in order for the application to be considered. Applications can be mailed to Lisa Evans, Division of Waste Management, 200 Fair Oaks Lane, Frankfort, KY 40601.

You may also contact KIPDA's Public Administration Division for more info at (502) 266-6084 and ask for Eric Dennison or eric.dennison@ky.gov.

Recreational Trails Program and
Land and Water Conservation Funds

The Recreational Trails Program (RTP) and Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) applications are now available to download. The RTP deadline is March 31, 2016 and LWCF deadline is April 29, 2016. For questions please contact Felicia Harper at Felicia.harper@ky.gov or call 502-266-6084.

The Recycling and Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Management Grant Program was established in 2006 by Senate Bill 50, effective July 12, 2006, and incorporated as a part of the Kentucky Pride Fund. KRS 224.43-505 (2) (c) specifies the establishment of a recycling and Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) management grants program. A 25% match is required.

The goal of the program is to leverage limited funds into efficient and cost effective projects to help Kentucky develop an integrated recycling infrastructure, manage Household Hazardous Waste and provide recycling and HHW public education programs.

Priority will be given to regional recycling projects and regional household hazardous waste management programs with state approved inter-local cooperative agreements.

Who Can Apply?

Any county, waste management district, city, urban-county government, or other political subdivision of the state or any combination of the above, including schools/school districts, shall be eligible to apply.

a. Grant funds may be used to cover the cost of vendor services for the collection, and proper management of HHW.
b. Advertising for HHW and regular reporting in local/regional media, signs, displays and banners for HHW collection events
c. Educational materials for school programs and Personnel to teach school education.

Or you may call KIPDA’s Public Administration Division at (502) 266-6084 for Eric Dennison, also at eric.dennison@ky.gov.

SAFER
The FY 2015 SAFER application period is now open.
The Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grants (SAFER) was created to provide funding directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations to help them increase or maintain the number of trained, "front line" firefighters available in their communities. The goal of SAFER is to enhance the local fire departments' abilities to comply with staffing, response and operational standards established by the NFPA.

The application period will close at 5PM EDT on Friday March 25th, 2016.
http://www.fema.gov/staffing-adequate-fire-emergency-response-grants#

FMA & PDM
KYEM has announced that FEMA will be opening funding for the FY16 Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) program and Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) program application period on March 15, 2016. This is a great opportunity to address mitigation needs for vulnerable properties in your communities.

Pre-Applications will need to be submitted in the eGrants system at https://portal.fema/gov, by Friday, April 15, 2016. Applications will need to be completed and submitted by Friday, May 13, 2016.

Our nation’s more than 600,000 social workers have amazing tenacity and talent.

They confront some of the most challenging issues facing individuals, families, communities and society and forge solutions that help people reach their full potential and make our nation a better place to live.

We celebrate the contributions of social workers during National Social Work Month in March.

"KIPDA'S Social Workers are amazing, compassionate and dedicated professionals who serve the KIPDA Region every day. Here is to wishing each of you a wonderful Social Work Month, thankful for your service every day."

March is Save Your Vision Month from AOA

Save Your Vision Month is the American Optometric Association or AOA's national observance in March to promote the importance of regular, comprehensive eye care from an optometrist.

Between what you hear on TV or read in the news and on the internet, eating right can seem like a real challenge. But it doesn’t have to be. Whether you want to slim down, lower your cholesterol or simply eat better, a registered dietitian (or registered dietitian nutritionist) can help you weed through the spin and provide sound, easy-to-follow nutrition advice.

What an RD or RDN Can Do for You ...

The highest level of nutrition counseling.Anyone can call themselves a nutritionist, but only a registered dietitian (RD) or registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) has completed multiple layers of education and training. In addition to holding a bachelor’s degree, an RD or RDN completes an extensive practice program and passes a rigorous registration exam. More than half hold graduate degrees and/or certifications in specialized fields.

Personally tailored advice.When you see an RD or RDN, the last thing you’ll get is one-size-fits-all diet advice. After learning about your health history, favorite foods, exercise/eating habits, an RD or RDN will help you set goals and prioritize.

Help managing chronic diseases.If you have a chronic condition it can be hard to know what to eat. An RD or RDN can help you understand your illness and the nutrients that affect it. He /she will help you create an eating plan with all the key nutrients that can help manage your condition.

A weight loss program that really works.Fad diets may sound like the quick ticket to weight loss, but they rarely work for very long. An RD or RDN will partner with you to develop a safe, effective weight loss plan that you can stick with for the long haul. He/she can guide and motivate you with strategies to help with meal planning, grocery shopping and mindful eating.

Need more reliable nutrition information? Visit the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website at www.Eatright.org.

National Nutrition Month campaign is sponsored annually by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

March is National Brain Injury Awareness Month

According to the Brain Injury Association of America, each year an estimated 2.4 million children and adults in the United States sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI), and another 795,000 individuals sustain an acquired brain injury (ABI) from non-traumatic causes. TBIs can affect the functionality of the brain—affecting thinking, reasoning, and memory. Whether the victim is an adult, a child, or an infant, TBIs can have a major impact on individuals and their families.

To raise awareness of traumatic brain injury, the Brain Injury Association of America recognizes National Brain Injury Awareness Month every March. The NCTSN offers the following resources on traumatic brain injury for families, medical professionals, and military families.

World Kidney Day is a global awareness campaign aimed at raising awareness of the importance of our kidneys.

World Kidney Day comes back every year. All across the globe many hundred events take place from public screenings in Argentina to Zumba marathons in Malaysia. We do it all to create awareness. Awareness about preventive behaviors, awareness about risk factors, and awareness about how to live with a kidney disease. We do this because we want kidney health for all.

Mission

World Kidney Day aims to raise awareness of the importance of our kidneys to our overall health and to reduce the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems worldwide.

Encourage systematic screening of all patients with diabetes and hypertension for CKD.

Encourage preventive behaviors.

Educate all medical professionals about their key role in detecting and reducing the risk of CKD, particularly in high risk populations.

Stress the important role of local and national health authorities in controlling the CKD epidemic. On World Kidney Day all governments are encouraged to take action and invest in further kidney screening.

Encourage Transplantation as a best-outcome option for kidney failure, and the act of organ donation as a life-saving initiative

Request for Proposals for the Regional Intelligent Transportation Systems Architecture

KIPDA has initiated development of an update to the Regional Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Architecture. The intent of this update is to ensure that KIPDA continues to meet all requirements under U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Title 23 Part 940 for Regional ITS Architectures. KIPDA is seeking proposals from qualified engineering consulting firms for the development of this update. This Request for Proposals will be available for review March 3, 2016, and interested firms can download a copy from KIPDA’s website at http://www.kipda.org/Requests_for_Proposals.aspx beginning on that date.

The scope of the update will include the four primary tasks listed below. Each task will include one or more sub-task as described by this document. Each task will also involve deliverables that will be included as a part of the study.

1. Project Management

2. System and Stakeholder Inventory

3. Update Regional ITS Architecture

4. Report Documentation

RIVERLINK Open Houses Kick Off in Indiana
Six Open Houses Planned for March

Following a series of RiverLink open houses in Kentucky, the informational sessions are moving across the river. Six open houses are planned in Southern Indiana in March to introduce drivers to RiverLink and answer what questions they may have. RiverLink is the new, all-electronic tolling system making the Louisville – Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges Project possible.

RiverLink open house events are planned for most Tuesdays and Thursdays in March. The first is Tuesday, March 1 at Community Action of Southern Indiana in Jeffersonville. Five additional open houses will be held over the next few weeks, with events planned in Jeffersonville, Charlestown, Clarksville and New Albany.

“We know people have a lot of questions,” said Clint Murphy, director of tolling oversight with the Indiana Department of Transportation. “We want to make it as easy as possible for drivers to get answers and make sure they’re prepared. That’s why we’re holding so many events in a variety of locations.”

Six open houses were held in Kentucky in February. “We talked to many drivers who posed some thoughtful questions,” said Megan McLain, assistant general counsel with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. “Tolling is expected to begin late this year, and we want drivers to have the information they need to pay the lowest rates.”

Tolling will begin when cross-river capacity is added to the system. That means either the improved John F. Kennedy Memorial Bridge or the new East End bridge will be complete and open to traffic. Both are expected to happen late this year.

The new Abraham Lincoln Bridge, the improved Kennedy Bridge and the new East End bridge will be tolled. Initial toll rates range from $1 to $12, depending on the size of the vehicle, whether a transponder is used and how often a driver crosses a tolled bridge.

The open house events give drivers a chance to learn more about RiverLink, and ask any questions they may have. Displays include information on how all-electronic tolling works, what transponders are available, what payment options exist and initial toll rates.

The Transit Authority of River City (TARC) will be available to discuss cross-river routes, and Ticket to Ride will have more information on its rideshare program.

The events are free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. For directions or further information, call 502-891-2529 or email riverlinkopenhouses@gmail.com.

RiverLink is the all-electronic tolling system making the Louisville – Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges Project possible. There will be no toll plazas, no coin machines, no lines and no stopping. The new Abraham Lincoln Bridge, the improved Kennedy Bridge and the new East End bridge will be tolled. The Sherman Minton Bridge and the Clark Memorial Bridge will not be tolled in connection with the project. Tolling is expected to begin in late 2016. Find more information at www.riverlink.com.

The Louisville – Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges Project includes two new bridges and their approaches, an improved Kennedy Bridge and reconstruction of the Kennedy Interchange, where I-65, I-64 and I-71 come together in downtown Louisville. The new Abraham Lincoln Bridge will carry six lanes of I-65 northbound traffic. The improved Kennedy Bridge will carry six lanes of southbound traffic. The new East End bridge will connect the Gene Snyder Freeway in Prospect, Kentucky with the Lee Hamilton Highway in Utica, Indiana. Find all of the latest traffic information and more details on the Ohio River Bridges Project at www.kyinbridges.com.

Here is a schedule of RiverLink open house events in March:

All open houses are scheduled for 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.

Date

Location

Address

Tues., Mar. 1

Community Action of Southern Indiana

1613 E 8th St., Jeffersonville, IN

Thurs., Mar. 3

Cobblestone Hotel & Suites

2201 Grace Ave., Charlestown, IN

Tues., Mar. 8

Clarksville Community Center

2311 Sam Gwin Dr., Clarksville, IN

Thurs., Mar. 10

Charlestown Clark County Public Library

51 Clark Rd., Charlestown, IN

Tues., Mar. 15

YMCA of Floyd County

33 State St., New Albany, IN

Thurs., Mar. 24

Sheraton Riverside Hotel

700 W Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville, IN

KIPDA Title VI Reviewed by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet

KIPDA works in conjunction with various states and federal agencies to ensure we are in compliance with Title VI requirements regarding civil rights. On February 24th, the Title VI Coordinator for the Office for Civil Rights and Small Business Development with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet visited the KIPDA office for a review of the practices in place.

The purpose of the onsite review is to promote compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and compliance will is being monitored through proactive oversight. The review went very well, and the exchange of information between reviewers and staff was quite productive. KIPDA Transportation provided documentation for the Title VI procedures and policies currently in place pertaining to transportation planning. Staff also presented a detailed compilation of public outreach efforts and methods to the reviewers.

Formal documentation of the review is expected by this summer. One anticipated outcome of the review is that, in the future, KIPDA may be responsible for oversight and review of the Title VI programs of Local Public Agencies in the KIPDA region.

What if you could connect people, ignite fresh thinking and create shared ownership for results?

That is the question public outreach specialists from across the United States answered during a two day training session on Appreciative Inquiry. The workshop was part of the International Association of Public Participation (P2) Skills Symposium. KIPDA Transportation Division’s Community Outreach Specialist, Ashley Davidson, attended the two-day workshop in San Diego, CA. The training took place on a sternwheeler boat and carried the creative thought processes throughout both days! The participants learned to enhance their public participation toolbox by learning the theory and practice of Appreciative Inquiry. Appreciative Inquiry fosters high-level engagement, resulting in sustainable decision-making and action. Tailored for P2 professionals, the workshop explored different appreciative inquiry applications, from two hours to two years. They uncovered the keys to extraordinary community engagement by experiencing an appreciative inquiry process and, at the same time, built their P2 network by discovering their colleagues’ best stories and greatest strengths.